Oak tree named &#39;Qnfta&#39;

ABSTRACT

An Oak tree name ‘QNFTA’ having dense branching pattern and consistent red-orange-yellow fall color and also capable of being reproduced reliably using vegetative cuttings.

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofoak tree which is believed to be a variety of Quercus nutallii. My newvariety has been given the varietal name ‘QNFTA.’

[0002] I discovered my new tree in 1995 as a chance seedling growing ina cultivated area of a nursery in Statesboro, Ga.

[0003] The parentage of this tree is unclear. It is definitely a red oaktype tree. Representative species include Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) orRed Oak (Quercus rubra). There are also several related species,including Nutall Oak (Quercus nutallii). Shumard Oak (Quercusshumardii), and Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea). My new tree hascharacteristics and a history that have prevented making an exactidentification of its species, but Nutall Oak appears to be the closest.

[0004] Nutall Oak, as well as most other red oak types, readilyhybridizes with one another, and there is a high probability that thistree is a result of a cross between a Nutall Oak and Shumard Oak or someother species of red oak since Nutall Oaks and Shumard Oaks overlap oneanother across much of their range. For example, in Texas, Nutall Oak isfound in the lower Southeast comer of Texas, Shumard is located in awide band covering most of the eastern part of the state, and Texas RedOak (Quercus texana) is the primary tree in the central part of thestate east of Dallas. There is also a large swath of habitat between theprimary Shumard Oak and Texas Red Oak regions where the predominate treeis a hybrid between Shumard Oak and Texas Red Oak. Hybrids are commonand can easily make up a large population of the trees in any givenarea.

Origin of Tree

[0005] Seeds were collected from a group of three trees in Birmingham,Ala. The seed were collected in fall of 1991 and planted into seedbedsin late winter of 1992. In spring of 1993, 1200 bare-root liners fromthese planted seeds were transplanted to a nursery field. In January of1998, the original tree of my new variety was moved to an observationsite in Oconee County, Ga. where it has remained since that time.

[0006] The original tree has displayed characteristics resembling NutallOak as well as Shumard Oak. There is much confusion over the exactidentification of this tree and several experienced individuals haveexpressed differing opinions. The only consistency has been the opinionthat the acorn is generally the most distinguishing characteristicdetermining the species difference between Nutall Oak and Shumard Oak.When compared to the above oaks, the acorns on my new tree most resembleNutall Oak, which indicates that the tree is most likely a Nutall Oak orat least has Nutall Oak as one of its parents. Other physicalcharacteristics of the tree, such as leaf size, sinus depth or budfeatures, do not provide definitive answers as to the true parentage ofthe tree.

Uniqueness

[0007] As I observed the original tree of my new variety, the uniquenessof this tree became apparent because of a dense branching pattern andconsistent red-orange-yellow fall color. These characteristicsdistinguish my new tree from other Nutall Oaks of which I am aware.

Propagation

[0008] In 1995, this original tree of my variety tree was successfullypropagated by vegetative cuttings at my direction, and the progeny havethus far proven to retain the dense branching pattern and consistentred-orangeyellow fall color of the parent tree even as smaller plants.

Use

[0009] I observed this tree of my new variety for a period of time andbelieve it is particularly useful as a specimen or for grouping inlawns, parks, golf courses, commercial landscapes, and as a street tree.It provides good shade, is a relatively fast grower, adapts well tovarious planting conditions, and has good structural integrity. It alsoprovides interest with its red-orange-yellow fall color.

Industry Representation

[0010] Cultivated Nutall Oak, as far as I am aware, is represented inthe industry solely by seedling material. Seedling material has a widerange of variability. My new tree has dense branching pattern andconsistent red-orange-yellow fall color not represented by any otherNutall Oak tree cultivar known to me.

Background

[0011] Typical Shumard Oak and Nutall Oak trees are pyramidal trees thatbecome more spreading with age. Nutall Oak trees typically develop afuller head at a younger age and can maintain a central leader ascompared to typical Shumard Oak trees. My new tree has an uprightpyramidal shape, but I expect it to become more spreading with age as istypical of the species. My new tree has a full head and central leaderthat is more typical of a Nutall Oak tree. Both Shumard Oak and NutallOak typically reach 40 to 60 feet high and wide in the landscape but canreach 100 feet or more in nature. The ultimate height and width of newvariety is not known.

Fixed Traits

[0012] My new variety has been asexually propagated by vegetativecuttings at my direction. This propagation and observation of theresulting progeny have proven the characteristics of my new variety tobe firmly fixed and reproduce true to type. Furthermore, theseobservations have confirmed that my new variety represents a new andimproved variety of oak tree which appears to be a variation of NutallOak trees based upon observations of acorns in the parent tree and asparticularly evidenced by the dense branching pattern and consistentred-orange-yellow fall color and which can reliably be asexuallypropagated using vegetative propagation.

FIGURES

[0013] The accompanying photographs depict the color of the tree andfoliage of my new variety as nearly as is reasonably possible to makethe same in a color illustration of this character.

[0014]FIG. 1 is a photograph of the original tree of my new variety insummer leaf.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a photograph of the original tree of my new varietyduring winter.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a close up of two single leaves depicting the upper sideof leaves from a tree of my new variety.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a close up of two single leaves depicting the under sideof leaves from a tree of my new variety.

[0018]FIG. 5 is a close up of typical fall leaf color of my new variety.

[0019]FIG. 6 is a close up of the trunk of the original tree.

[0020]FIG. 7 is a close up of the branching habit of my new variety.

[0021]FIG. 8 is a close up of two acorns of my new variety.

CURRENT LOCATION

[0022] My ‘QNFTA’ variety of oak tree is currently growing at anobservation site in Oconee County, Ga. It is located in an area ofOconee County that has a clay loam soil type and receives an average of50 inches of rainfall per year. Oconee County is in USDA Hardiness Zone7. Both Shumard Oak and Nutall Oak are hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9.

[0023] My new tree has not been observed under all growing conditionsand thus variations may occur as a result of different growingconditions. The following is a detailed description of my new variety ofoak tree with color terminology in accordance with the RoyalHorticultural Society (RHS) color chart published by The RoyalHorticultural Society in London. The observations are of the originaltree growing at the observation site in Oconee County, Ga.

Taxonomy

[0024] My new tree has an upright-pyramidal shape (FIG. 2), but I expectit to become more spreading with age as is typical of the species. Mynew tree has a full head (FIG. 1) and a central leader that is moretypical of a Nutall Oak. The original tree is currently 10 inches incaliper at 12 inches above the ground after about nine years. Theoriginal tree is currently about 27 feet high and 18 feet wide with aheight to width ratio of 1.44.

[0025] The bark of my new tree is typical of the species (FIG. 6). Inyouth, the bark is smooth and with age develops shallow ridges andfurrows. The color of the bark is typical of the species, exhibitinglight gray (RHS 156D) and grayed-green (RHS 195A) patches andstriations.

[0026] The branching is somewhat upright compared to most otherseedlings (FIG. 2 and FIG. 7). Branches emerge from the trunk at about a45-degree angle.

[0027] The leaves of Nutall Oak, Shumard Oak, and Pin Oak all resembleone another, and my tree has leaves typical of the species Q. nutalliiin size and shape: Alternate, simple, obovate to elliptic, 4 to 9″ long,2 to 5″ wide, with 5 to 9 lobes (FIG. 3). Sinuses are rounded withnarrow lobes. Leaves maintain a dark green color in the summer. Theupper leaf surface (FIG. 3) is a dark green in the summer (RHS 139A),and the lower leaf surface at this time (FIG. 4) is a lighter green (RHS141B). The veins are a green-yellow (RHS 145A). My new tree hasconsistent fall color which ranges from red (RHS 42C) to orange (RHS25B) to yellow (RHS 7A) (FIG. 5).

[0028] Buds are typical of the species, being imbricate, ⅛ to ¼″ long,ash gray to brown-gray, pubescent with ciliate scale margins.

[0029] Most oaks have flowers so similar that it is difficult todistinguish between species based on flower type. The flowers of my newtree are typical of most oaks. The trees are monoecious. The staminatecatkins are pendent and clustered. The individual flowers comprise a 4-to 7-lobed calyx that encloses 6 to 12 stamens. Pistillate flowers aresolitary or in few to many-flowered spikes from the axils of the newleaves. Individual distillate flowers consist of a 6-lobed calyxsurrounding the ovary, with the whole partly enclosed in an involucre.

[0030] The acorn for my new tree most closely resembles that of NutallOak. In this case, they are typical of the species. Acorns are ovate, ¾to 1¼″ long, short-stalked, oblong-ovoid and covered ⅓ to ½ by the cap(FIG. 8). The acorn is grayed-orange in color (RHS 177A) with dark brown(RHS 200B) striations. The cap is light brown (RHS 199B). The acorn isthe best identifying feature to discriminate Nutall Oak from ShumardOak. Shumard Oak has an acorn of approximately the same size and shape,though sometimes Shumard acorns are more ovate, as Nutall Oak. However,in Shumard Oak, the cap covers only the top part of the acorn, and thestriations are more pronounced. The root system is typical of thespecies, fibrous and somewhat shallow.

[0031] The plant:

[0032]Origination.—Selected as a chance seedling in a field at a nurseryin Statesboro, Ga. The parentage of this tree is believed to includeNutall Oak, but is not entirely clear for reasons explained above.

[0033]Tree shape.—Upright-pyramidal with a full head and central leader.

[0034]Trunk.—Central leader.

[0035]Bark.—Typical of the species. Smooth in youth. Mature Bark:Develops shallow ridges and furrows. Color light gray (RHS 156D) andgrayed-green (RHS 195A) patches and striatioins.

[0036]Branches.—The branching is somewhat upright compared to most otherseedlings (FIG. 2 and FIG. 7). Branches emerge from the trunk at about a45-degree angle.

[0037]Leaves.—Typical of the species Q. nutallii in size and shape.Alternate, simple, obovate to elliptic, 4 to 9″ long, 2 to 5″ wide, with5 to 9 lobes. Sinuses are rounded with narrow lobes. Summer leaf uppersurface color is dark green (RHS 139A), summer leaf lower surface coloris lighter green (RHS 141B) and fall color is red-orange-yellow (RHS42C, 25B, 7A).

[0038]Buds, flowers and fruit.—Typical of the species, being imbricate,⅛ to ¼″ long, ash gray to brown-gray, pubescent with ciliate scalemargins.

[0039]Flowers.—Typical of the species. Staminate catkins are pendent andclustered. The individual flowers comprise a 4- to 7-lobed calyx thatencloses 6 to 12 stamens. Pistillate flowers are solitary or in few tomany-flowered spikes from the axils of the new leaves.

[0040] Individual Distillate flowers consist of a 6-lobed calyxsurrounding the ovary, with the whole partly enclosed in an involucre.

[0041]Fruit.—Typical of Q. nutallii. Acorns are ovate, ¾ to 1¼″ long,short-stalked, oblong-ovoid and covered ⅓ to ½ by the cap. The acorn isgrayed-orange in color (RHS 177A) with dark brown to black striations(RHS 200B). The cap is light brown (RHS 199B).

[0042]Root system.—The root system is typical of the species, fibrousand somewhat shallow.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Oak tree substantially asherein shown and described, characterized particularly as to novelty byits unique dense branching pattern and consistent red-orange-yellow fallcolor.